Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a not-for-profit service contract in an amount up to $44,000.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation for organizing temporary housing and essential services for participants of the department’s Displaced Tenant Services program.
When a structure is not fit for human habitation as deemed by the City of Columbus through departments such as Building and Zoning Services, the City must require the occupants to vacate the unit until it is brought into compliance. This disruptive displacement may harm the residents and have a cascading effect on their well-being, for example by disturbing employment or education transportation; destabilizing social connections; and significantly increasing stress.
Due to the current housing crisis, securing new housing quickly is also extremely difficult, especially for our most vulnerable residents who are more likely to receive a vacate order. These vacated residents often need immediate assistance to avoid homelessness, including emergency temporary housing, rental assistance, help locating housing, and other additional supports to promote stability.
The goal of Displaced Tenant Services is to mitigate the effects of disruptive displacement. This program provides relocation support to residents who are emergency vacated by the City of Columbus by:
• Offering reasonable and necessary temporary housing during the displacement, as needed
• Securing an alternative, permanent housing option OR the tenant returning to the original unit
• Providing all essential services to accomplish the above
The Homeless Families Foundation acts as the program’s Temporary Housing Coordinator, organizing temporary housing and essential services for tenants, while also providing housing focused case management services. HFF collaborates with the program’s Fiscal Manager, The Tony R. Wells Foundation, to pay for the hotels at the time of the emergency. They also collaborate with the entire program team, including Columbus Public Health Social Work, R.H. Brown and Co professional relocation services, and The Department of Development’s Division of Housing Stability.
The Homeless Families Foundation (HFF) provided similar services under a separate not-for-profit service contract, PO476464, with the Department of Development, funded by the Emergency Rental Assistance grant. This contract expired on September 30, 2025. HFF continues to serve Columbus residents in need and this ordinance will also authorize expenditures incurred prior to the purchase order, starting October 1, 2025. This agreement may be renewed once, pending authorization by City Council.
That Columbus City Council acknowledges and defines as operating costs inherent to the mission of this non-profit the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages for populations experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and/or food insecurity. Any or all of the expenditure authorized by this ordinance may be spent toward payment of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses for such populations. Expenses incurred prior to the creation of a purchase order may be reimbursed. However, in no case may food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses incurred prior to the date of the original legislation adoption be reimbursed. City Council declares that the expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses authorized by this ordinance to be for a proper public purpose.
The services included in this not-for-profit service contract cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency action is requested to continue the work of providing temporary accommodations for those who are vacated from their homes due to emergency conditions.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the Department’s Business Tax Incentive fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 025439 and expires 4/3/2027.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a not-for-profit service contract in an amount up to $44,000.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $44,000.00 from the Housing Business Tax Incentive fund; to authorize payment for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages for residents; to approve expenditures incurred prior to the approval of the purchase order; and to declare an emergency. ($44,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, when a structure is not fit for human habitation as deemed by the City of Columbus through departments such as Building and Zoning Services, the City must require the occupants to vacate the unit until it is brought into compliance; and
WHEREAS, vacated residents often need immediate assistance to avoid homelessness, including emergency temporary housing, rental assistance, help locating housing, and other additional supports to promote stability; and
WHEREAS, the Displaced Tenant Services program mitigates the effects of disruptive displacement by providing relocation support to residents who are emergency vacated by the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, The Homeless Families Foundation acts as the program’s Temporary Housing Coordinator, organizing temporary housing and essential services for tenants, while also providing housing focused case management services; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development wishes to enter into a not-for-profit service contract with The Homeless Families Foundation; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $44,000.00 from the Housing Business Tax Incentive fund; and
WHEREAS, reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order, starting October 1, 2025, are permitted; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that this contract should be authorized immediately to continue the work of providing temporary accommodations for those who are vacated from their homes due to emergency conditions, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development be and is hereby authorized to enter into a not-for-profit service contract in an amount up to $44,000.00 with The Homeless Families Foundation, and will also authorize expenditures incurred prior to the purchase order, starting October 1, 2025.
SECTION 2. That Columbus City Council acknowledges and defines as operating costs inherent to the mission of this non-profit the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages for populations experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and/or food insecurity. Any or all of the expenditure authorized by this ordinance may be spent toward payment of food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses for such populations. Expenses incurred prior to the creation of a purchase order may be reimbursed. However, in no case may food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses incurred prior to the date of the original legislation adoption be reimbursed. City Council declares that the expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses authorized by this ordinance to be for a proper public purpose.
SECTION 3. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $44,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 2229 (Housing Business Tax Fund), Dept-Div 44-12 (Housing Stability), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $44,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2229 (Housing Business Tax Fund), Dept-Div 44-12 (Housing Stability), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That this contract is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to establish such accounting codes as necessary, to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all agreements, contracts, or modifications associated with this Ordinance.
SECTION 8. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.